Fire-escape.



P.,RIESECK. nur: ESCAPE. APPLICATION FILED `AUG. 13, 1908.

987,552, v Patented Oct.19,1909.

y 2 BEBBTl-BHBBT 1.

P. RIESBGK. v

FIRE ESCAPE.

Muon-10N FILED AUG. 1a, 190s.

937,552. Patented ocn.19,1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PETER RIESECK, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 19, 1909.

Application filed August 13, 1908. Serial No. 448,317.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, PETER RIEsEcK, a resident of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in F ire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

rlhis invention relates to fire escapes, and more particularly to that class of fire escapes which is in the form of a chute down which the persons slide so as to quickly deliver them froni the burning structure.

The object of the invention is to provide a lire escape of this character wherein separate chutes are provided for the dierent stories of the building, so as to prevent the persons coming from the different floors from interfering and wedging in the chute, or otherwise becoming injured, and also to provide a chute wherein the parties are not so liable to get dizzy as with the present forms of iire escape chutes.

The invention comprises the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a fire escape constructed according to my invention, showing a building to which it is applied, partly in section; Fig. 1a is a section on line 1a 1a of Fig. l; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the saine; Fig. 3 is a skeleton view of the frame showing onehalf thereof, or as if taken on the section line 3-.-3, Fig. 2; Fig. bis a plan view of the frame or skeleton portion of the device; Fig. 5 is a side view of a portion of the same; Fig. 6 is a plan view of aportion of the same; Fig. 7 is a' detail of the manner of connecting the cross bars to the verticals, and Fig. 8 is a detail of a modification.

The iire escape comprises a suitable tower formed by four vertical members, so forming a tower of substantially rectangular shape. These verticals are connected by any suitable cross braces, shown generally at 2, so as to holdy them in proper relative position. Secured to these verticals are a series of horizontal bars, 3, which at. one end project beyond one of the verticals yas at 4L, so forming in effect cantalivers for supporting the chutes. These cross-bars are shown as angle bars, and may be connected to the verticals by any suitable means, such as by the U bolts, 5. These kcross bars are arranged at different heights in proper position to support the different parts of the downwardly inclined chutes.-

The chute is formed in alternate straight and curved sections, namely, a straight section, 6, at one side of the rectangle; a curved or spiral section, 7, at the corner of the tower at the lower end of section 6; another straight section, 8, also downwardly inclined; another curved or spiral section, 9, another straight section 10, and so on continuously. Each of the straight sections inclines downwardly at the proper pitch, and the spiral sections, 7, join the lower end of one inclined section to the upper end of the next inclined section. This forms a chute which is of general spiral character, but is not of a true spiral, so that the persons sliding down the chute, instead of going continuously in a circular' movement, go through alternate straight movements with turns between. The consequence is that they reach the bottoni of the chute in a less dizzy condition than with a spiral or circular chute, and are in better condition to take care of themselves and get away from the burning structure. The chute proper will preferably be formed of sheet metal, the plates being supported upon the projecting cantaliver ends, 4, of the cross bars, 3. These cross bars are secured in such positions vertically on the uprights that a cantaliver arm is provided at the upper end and another' cantaliver arm at the lower end of each of the straight sections of the chute. The outer edges of the chute plates are stilfened and supported by bars, preferably angle bars, 14, secured to the ends of the cantaliver arms, and similar angle bars, 15, support the outer edges of the curved sections, being curved to the contour of the outer edges of these plates. The curved or spiral sections are preferably formed of a series of plates and are additionally supported by straps, 16, running from the angle bars, 15, and at their inner rights, and *to' a suitable outer wall or barrier, 21, secured to the outer edges ofthe chute plates or to the angle bars thereof.V This outer wall or barrier may be, if desired, continuous from the ground up, or it may be merely a wall of sufficient height to confine the persons sliding down the chute. The latter construction is shown in the drawings. A further advantage of having a chute of substantially rectangular form is that it gives a sufficient distance between adjacent turns of the chute in which to locate a second spiral chute, thereby enabling a single tower to take care of persons coming from two floors of a structure, without intermingling.

As shown in Fig. l, there is a double chute, or more strictly speaking, two chutes, up to they second story, indicated at 22, and one of said chutes extending` up to the third floor, indicated at 23. The latter chute, marked generally, 24:, at its upper or receiving end, is provided with a short platform, 25, communicating with a door or window, 26, on the third or upper story. The other chute, namely, the one marked 27, has a similar platform, 28, communicating with the window or door, 29, in the second story. The chute, 27, it will be observed, is located between the turns of the chute, 24:, so that two streams of people can come down the tower without interfering with each other or coming in contact. This is of great importance Vfor thereason that in case of. fire, for instance, in a school house, the children in the dierent floors will all crowd in a solid streamr to the lire escape, either stream of which may be sufficient to fill a single chute to its capacity; consequently, two such streams coming together in a single chute are liable to cause seriousv injury to the pupils, if not entirely blocking the chute with a very disastrous loss of life. By my arrangement this is entirely prevented, since the two chutes are entirely separate from each other. These chutes end or terminate practically at the same level, as at 30 and 3l, and on substantially.opposite sides of the tower.

As an assistance to the persons entering the chute properly; that is, feet foremost instead of head foremost, I provide at the receiving or entrance end of each of the chutes a pair of bars or handV rails, 31, one on each side, having portions, 32, inclined at a greater angle than the chute. The persons entering the chute naturally grasp these rails and slide down on same, the incline, 32, easily seating the individual on the chute and also giving him a momentum. Fig. 8 shows for the same purpose a cross bar, 33, supported by a standard, 85. This bar is placed at such a height that the persons entering the chute naturally grasp the bar,

lthus allowing the feet to swing forwardly and either seating the person on the chute or causing him to lie on his'back, 'so sliding down the-chute in proper position for the safest and most comfortable passage down the chute.

The chute described is of fairly simple construction, provides separate chutes in a single tower from the different floors of a building, and provides alternate straight and curved portions so that the persons descending are not rendered excessively dizzy and are in better condition to take care of themselves when they reach the bottom of the chute.

What I claim is:

l. In a re escape, a tower provided with a chute comprising a series of straight, in- Y clined sections, adjacent ends of which are joined by curved spiral sections. n

2. In a reiescape, a substantially rectangular tower provided with a chute compris- `ing straight inclined chute sections on the four sides thereof, and spiralchute sections at the corners, connecting the straight chute sections. Y

3. Ina fire escape, a tower comprising veri tical columns, cross bars secured thereto and projecting beyond the same at the corners, said projecting portions of the bars being at different heights, and chute plates supported by said projecting bars. j y

4. In a lire escape, a towerlof general' rectangular form i-n cross section and provided with two independent chutes or runways each composed of alternate straight and curved incline sections, said chutes begin ning at different elevations on the same side of the tower and terminating at substantially the same level on opposite sides of the tower;

5. In a lire escape, a tower provided with two independent spiral chutes or runways one located vertically between the turns of the other and each comprising alternate straight and curved incline sections, said chutes beginning at different elevations on the saine side of the tower and terminating at substantially the same level on oppositev sides of the tower, said tower being provided with independent entrances for said chutes one above the other.

6. In a fire escape, a tower provided with a spiral chute, and a bar at its entrance end and extending in the direction of the chute and having a portion inclined downwardly at a greater angle than said chute.

7. In a fire escape, a tower provided with a spiral chute having at its bottom end a horizontal portion and a depending member inclining forwardly toward its lower end.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand. n Y

PETER RIESEGK. Vitnesses:

JOHN S. CoRT, F. W. WINTER. 

